1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus having a function of transmitting image data such as facsimile and electronic mails and, more specifically, to an image processing apparatus capable of multicasting, by registering information of a plurality of transmission destinations with a short-cut key.
2. Description of the Background Art
As a method of sending documents such as forms and estimate sheets to a recipient, facsimile (hereinafter also referred to as FAX) has been widely used. Recently, it has become common to attach electronic data of such a document to an electronic mail and to send to a recipient through a network. It has become possible to select the method of transmission in accordance with the device (personal facsimile, multifunctional peripheral, or a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a PC) used by the recipient.
By way of example, as one type of image processing apparatus, a multi function peripheral (MFP) having a plurality of functions including copying, printing, facsimile and scanning has come to be widely used. An MFP is capable of forming an image on a sheet of recording paper based on digital data of a document read by the scanning function or digital data received through a transmission line and, in addition, capable of image processing of such digital data to transmit by facsimile or electronic mail.
The method of transmission using an MFP includes a so-called multicasting, by which one document is sent to a plurality of recipients. For multicasting, the user sets the document to be transmitted on the MFP, successively sets a plurality of recipients of transmission, and presses a button for executing transmission, such as a start key. The set document is read and subjected to image conversion (converted to facsimile data or to data to be attached to an electronic mail), and then, transmission to the set plurality of recipients of transmission takes place successively.
The following method has been known as a method of designating a recipient to whom a document is to be transmitted. For facsimile transmission, a facsimile number of the transmission destination is entered using ten-keys. For electronic mail transmission, electronic mail address (also simply referred to as mail address) of the transmission destination is entered using a keyboard (alphabetical keys). Here, an inputting error may possibly leads to a wrong transmission.
A technique of registering facsimile numbers and mail addresses of recipients of transmission in correspondence with recipient names in an address book (storing in a non-volatile memory or the like of the MFP) in order to prevent wrong transmission has been known. At the time of transmission, the user operates an operation unit of MFP to call the address book, and selects a recipient of transmission from the address book. A technique of registering a facsimile number or a mail address of a recipient of transmission with a key referred to as a “single-touch key” for higher operability has also been known. Simply by pressing the single-touch key, a call is made to the registered facsimile number and the document is transmitted. If an electronic mail address is registered with the single-touch key, the document is transmitted to the mail address.
A technique of registering a plurality of recipients of transmission in advance with a key referred to as a “group key” to make it easier to set multicast destinations has been known. When multicast transmission is desired, by simply pressing the group key, the registered recipients of transmission are set as the recipients of multicast transmission, and the document transmission can be executed.
In relation to the registration with the group key, other than directly registering the information of transmission destination (facsimile number or mail address), information specifying an already registered single-touch dial or abbreviated dial (single-touch number or abbreviated number) is often registered with the group key, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open Nos. 11-150614 (hereinafter referred to as '614 Reference) and 2001-218012 (hereinafter referred to as '012 Reference). When the group key is pressed, the transmission destination information (facsimile number or mail address) is determined referring to the information of already registered single-touch dial or the abbreviation dial specified by the single-touch number or the abbreviated number registered with the group key. Thus, not only the transmission using group key but also individual transmission (single-touch dial or abbreviated dial) is possible, and an environment enabling document transmission in accordance with the situation and the user's intention is provided.
Since individuals having a plurality of terminals are increasing, it becomes a common practice to register a plurality of pieces of transmission destination information (facsimile number and mail address) for one recipient name in the address book. As to the single-touch key, it has been adopted to enable registration of a plurality of pieces of transmission destination information for one key, as in the address book. Therefore, though the single-touch key and the group key have different names, these keys realize similar functions. In the present specification, these keys will be generally referred to as “short-cut key.”
When a document is to be transmitted using a single-touch key having a plurality of transmission destinations registered, due to the function of the key, it is possible that one document is sent to a plurality of transmission destinations including a terminal not intended by the user, though transmission to one destination only (only one facsimile or one mail account) is desired. For example, though it is desired to transmit to facsimile only, an electronic mail may also be sent inadvertently.
A solution to such a problem is proposed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laying-Open Nos. 2002-125088 (hereinafter referred to as '088 Reference) and 2003-152945 (hereinafter referred to as '945 Reference). Specifically, '088 and '945 References disclose a technique of determining the transmission mode (facsimile transmission or electronic mail transmission) from the pressed mode key at the time of document transmission and sending document data to the destination information corresponding to the determined mode (if it is the facsimile transmission mode, to the facsimile number and if it is the electronic mail transmission mode, to the mail address). Accordingly, if both facsimile number and mail address are registered for one transmission destination, appropriate transmission process in accordance with the user instruction can be executed.
According to the technique disclosed in '088 Reference, however, if a document is to be transmitted to a plurality of recipients as in the case of multicast transmission described above, it is necessary to set the transmission mode (press a key) for every destination, which results in low working efficiency.
Further, according to '945 Reference, if a piece of destination information (mail address/FAX number) corresponding to the set transmission mode (internet FAX/normal FAX) is not registered when the single-touch key is pressed, it is necessary to select the transmission destination again, which results in low working efficiency. Further, since an indication “not-registered” appears after the user presses the single-touch key, it may be disturbing for the user.